The mascot, which has been strutting his stuff along the sidelines at Carisbrook for more than 10 years, played above his weight in a mascot competition in Christchurch yesterday to launch the Air New Zealand Cup.
Shaq came third in the final of the running race but, more importantly, won the most popular mascot competition, decided by public vote.
The win in the public vote means Air NZ will buy 2000 tickets for Otago's first home game, against Canterbury at Carisbrook on August 9, and give them away to the public.
Details of the ticket giveaway will be revealed on the Air NZ website next Wednesday, but an Air NZ spokeswoman said staff would go to a "handy location" in the city centre, at a time and day yet to be decided, and hand out the tickets to the public.
There were two heats yesterday in the running competition, around a school gymnasium, which featured all mascots from the 14 teams in the Air NZ Cup.
In the final, the Magpie from Hawkes Bay won the race, followed by the Taniwha, from Northland.
As reward to the region for Shaq coming third in the final, Air NZ will today sell tickets for some flights from Dunedin to destinations throughout New Zealand for $20.
The tickets will be available today through grabaseat, on the Air NZ website.
